Press Releases

Glocester Man Pleads to Unemployment Insurance Benefit Fraud

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced Richard Dinitto (age 58), of Glocester, pleaded nolo contendere today before Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers to one count of obtaining money under false pretenses for collecting $14,603 in unemployment insurance benefits while he was working. Dinitto was sentenced to 10 years probation of which five were suspended, and ordered to pay restitution at a rate of no less than $100 per month. Dinitto paid $1,000 in restitution at today's plea.

Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on diverse dates between January 31, 2009 and April 30, 2011, Dinitto failed to accurately report his weekly earnings to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (RI DLT) when he called in to the RI DLT Teleserve voice response system to authorize his weekly unemployment benefits. While Dinitto was collecting unemployment benefits he was working for Essex Newbury North Contracting Corp in Newburyport, MA and Compass Janitorial Services in East Providence.

"This is the third individual to plead to unemployment insurance benefit fraud in two days, and there are currently 30 similar cases pending before the office for prosecution," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "We will continue to work with RI DLT and the Rhode Island State Police until every last person who commits this fraud is effectively prosecuted and the unemployment insurance trust fund is made whole."

The case was initiated by RI DLT fraud investigators and then referred to the Rhode Island State Police where the investigation was led by Investigator Michael Douglas. Special Assistant Attorney General Carole L. McLaughlin prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.

The Office of Attorney General is assigned a prosecutor devoted exclusively to prosecuting fraud cases referred by the RI DLT involving unemployment insurance benefits fraud, workers' compensation fraud, prevailing wage violations, and labor standards violations. The prosecutor in this position is solely responsible for screening, charging, prosecuting, tracking, and reporting case results to RI DLT and the Office of Attorney General.